In Such Good Company by Carol Burnett... A Review

Did you live during that era of great TV, with shows such as Bewitched, The Andy Griffin Show, Gilligan's Island, The Addams Family, and of course, The Carol Burnett Show? If you did, you will love this book! In Such Good Company is a little walk down memory lane, with Carol Burnett as your tour guide.

When I opened In Such Good Company, I was instantly brought back to my childhood, where Carol Burnett (and friends) were a weekly ritual. I was pretty young for some of the show, which ran from September 11, 1967, to March 29, 1978, but I was allowed to stay up most nights when it was on and I remember many, many of the skits that are part of TV history. Who could forget Carol at Scarlet O'Hara in that dress with the drapery rod still in it, or Carol's portrayal of Mildred "Fierce"?! I learned a lot from reading the book... I didn't realize that the designer Bob Mackie created the costumes that made up the show. And during the 11 years that the show was on, that adds up to about 17,940 costumes! I didn't know that the shows were "live", and I didn't realize at the time that it really was Carol's show, that she just wasn't the "star". 

Though it didn't feel like it when I was reading it, the book is actually broken up in parts. The beginning of the book is about what lead up to Carol and the show, Carol's background , which is also sprinkled throughout the book, and then it get's into the show itself... The main "gang" of players (Vicki Lawrence, Harvey Korman, Lyle Waggoner and Tim Conway), some behind the scene funny things you'd never know otherwise, the recurring sketches, the movie parodies, and a up close and personal look at all the wonderful guests over the years, who were more friends than just guests. Also, there are what appear to be full scripts of some of the skits included in the pages of the book, maybe just part of the scripts, but I found reading them to be tedious. I enjoyed reminiscing about the skits, but didn't need to read them word for word. In any case, In Such Good Company really is a wonderful look at The Carol Burnett Show, and also a wonderful glimpse into TV shows of the day. What went into creating them,  and the politics behind running the show (as a woman in Carol's case). Written in a conversational style, with Carol sharing her personal insights and tidbits, I enjoyed reading it very much. 

Published by Crown Archetype it will be on the shelves of your bookstore of choice on Sept. 13th! I wouldn't hesitate to recommend In Such Good Company to anyone who grew up in that "era", and it would make a great gift for someone who use to watch the show too.

*I want to thank Crown Archetype for the eGalley of In Such Good Company that I received for my honest opinion and review!